Within 15 days of swearing-in, Andhra Pradesh’s new Lokayukta has received 448 complaints, between September 15 and 30. Retired Andhra Pradesh High Court Judge Justice P Lakshmana Reddy was appointed as the state's new Lokayukta on September 9 and was sworn in on September 15.
Of the 448 complaints received, 50 were rejected, while 215 were sent to the officials concerned from the corresponding government departments. The remaining 183 complaints were also prioritised and relevant officials were given guidance in handling them, according to an official statement.
Lakshmana Reddy is the first Lokayukta to take charge in Andhra Pradesh since the state's bifurcation in 2014. Hailing from Kadapa district, Justice Lakshmana Reddy had begun his career as an advocate in the district court, before he worked his way up to the High Court.
The Andhra Pradesh Lokayukta is currently operating from an office in Basheerbagh, Hyderabad. While an office space has been assigned in Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, in the R and B (Roads and Buildings) Building, its construction work is yet to be completed. Meanwhile, the institution will continue to function from Hyderabad in Telangana until the office construction is completed and further orders are issued.
Ever since Justice B Subhashan Reddy, who served as the last Lokayukta for the combined states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, stepped down from office, the institution had remained without a chief. While cases were being heard till December 15, 2017, since then, not a single case has been heard.
The Lokayukta, an autonomous anti-corruption body, is yet to be appointed in Telangana, despite the state government being pulled up for the delay by the High Court. With no Lokayukta, Upa-Lokayukta or a Registrar appointed, all petitions in the premises located at Basheerbagh in Hyderabad were being handled by the Sub-Registrar.
An RTI response to TNM from the Public Information Officer of the Lokayukta earlier this year showed that the total number of complaints pending with the institution was a staggering 5,283.